THE COLORIST

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24 January, 2008

Direction

The Heins' Farm7.5" 15"Casey KlahnPrivate Collection

This piece, which actually began as a plein air pastel, is my current inspiration. It's unusual because on-sight is not my typical method. This particular farmstead, which is down the road from me and belongs to the farmers who farmed my land, is an artist's delight. They complain that photographers stop on the highway to take pictures of it, and snarl the traffic.

I am cropping little areas out of it to do architectural subjects. In reality, the buildings are places to hang colors.

I remember when the barns on midwestern farms were used for advertising, like giant bill boards. Thanks for the heating note. I have a large back building that I`m planning to finish. I was thinking of a wood burning stove, but need something that is easier to control. Ducted electric furnace may be the best way to go. No gas available I`d have to put in a line from the house and run it back there.

Meg: and they say I don't do realism. Thanks for the compliment, I can certainly use 'em!

Dave and Jan haven't gotten it yet (I'm giving it to them for helping me at the Spokane ArtFest for 4 years).

John. If you remind me, I'll let you know how the economy is on the electric heat.

You could go propane adjacent to the outbuilding and run a propane fireplace. I have one in the house as auxiliary and it heated the house admirably during our problems.

I have a couple surplus fireplaces that are wood burning antiques. I may add one to the studio someday as an accent. My mentor, an artist in Langley who built his studio a number of years ago, put a huge coal burning furnace in his studio. Think pot bellied, then think 9 feet high!

What I love about that one is it's a WWI barracks furnace, and it was made in Pete's hometown in Michigan.

Sometimes we need to do other things and you had a need to this, and it is just lovely. It sounds like you have really captured what makes this place so special. I hate being boxed in artistically, don't you?

Thanks for the info. I was leaning toward a wood or coal burner but they lack control. Out here in S. Arizona a coal stove would run me out by early afternoon. Pot bellies were a sentimental urge more than anything. Back shop is approx. 1200 sq. ft. with a 9 1/2 ft. ceiling. Also serves as a packing and shipping room. I`ve linked to you cause your very good at what you do.

Yes, it is great to fart around in other genres. Even though I stay on a certain tack, so that people can recognize my art when they see it, my artistic wandering feeds fuel to my main effort, if you will.

I admire your "what the hey" attitude, Corrine. It makes you the fine artist that you are.

Thanks for the links, John. Looks like you have a big project ahead of you!

Hi Casey, this is truely a wonderful painting. I feel totally enchanted by the colours you choose for this one and even if you changed them far from reality they look absolutely authentic somehow. I have never been to the American farmland countries - so I cannot say how it looks in reality but this is absolutely charming.I must admit that in earlier times I found the motif of barns a bit overworked but since I am doing architecturals myself lately I feel some sort of affection towards those old buildings, walls and rotten windows. The landscapes themselves add their part to it to make this painting perfect.

I tried hard to not get pegged as the barn guy. But, when you own a barn...you will be painting it. The image is iconic and beyond sympathy. More narrative and the way I treat them, they become billboards for color compositions.

The main element out here is size. Big, huge landscapes that are overwhelming to figure out on the picture plane. The barn "grows" out of the land, and I think the guy who designed the first one was a genius of architecture.